Arctic wader Colour-Banding

Background

The OSNZ is studying the movements of Arctic-breeding waders in New Zealand, by individually colour-marking Bar-tailed Godwits, Red Knots and Ruddy Turnstones in both the North and South Island. The aim is to determine whether individual birds use a network of sites while in New Zealand, and if so, on what scale. Knowing whether sites or regions have discrete populations is important for interpreting local population changes, as well as informing management decisions. There is also interest from biosecurity agencies to determine the avenues of disease spread amongst birds in New Zealand, and northern hemisphere migrants are perceived as being potential sources of diseases entering the country.

Birds are banded with individual colour-combinations that can be seen from a distance, enabling OSNZ members and other birdwatchers to contribute to the project by getting out and looking at birds legs.

What do the combinations look like?

Birds will have two colour-bands on each tarsus (lower leg). The bands are white, yellow, red or blue. There will also be a single white or red leg-flag, which is made of the same material as the bands but projects out from the leg. The position of the flag is important! It can be on either the upper leg (tibia), or down with the colour-bands on the lower leg. If the flag is on the lower leg, you will need to note if it is above the bands, between them or below them.

On this Bar-tailed Godwit (left) the four colour-bands and single leg-flag are clearly visible. The numbered metal band that is on the bird’s upper left leg does not form part of the combination.

How do we record the combinations?

The colour-bands are read from the upper band on the left leg to the lower band on the right leg. The godwit is therefore YRYY (yellow above red on the left leg, yellow above yellow on the right leg), with the white flag on the right tibia. In the field, it can be useful to draw a picture of the bands:

What else do we look for?

If the bird is a godwit, it can be possible to tell its sex. Females are quite a bit larger than males, with proportionately longer bills. Males go into much darker breeding plumage than females. If you think know the sex of the bird, put it down – this can help figure out who is who if the combination was not read fully.
At some times of the year birds will be moulting into or out of breeding plumage. While giving a value to a breeding plumage score is somewhat subjective, the following scale is fairly robust:

1 = full non-breeding plumage
2 = mostly non-breeding with a trace of breeding plumage
3 = ¼ breeding plumage
4 = ½ breeding plumage
5 = ¾ breeding plumage
6 = mostly breeding plumage with just a trace of non-breeding remaining
7 = full breeding plumage

Most birds will probably not do all their moult in New Zealand, but will leave on northward migration with some non-breeding plumage remaining.

When is the best time to look for bands?

The best time to look is not at high tide. Then birds are usually packed together, standing on one leg or sitting down, or hiding amongst vegetation. It is much better to scan for bands when birds are feeding, or moving around near a roost as the tide comes in. If you are going to look for bands, it pays to turn up an hour or two earlier than you usually would at a high-tide roost, or be prepared to stay until the birds move out onto the tidal flats to start feeding.

Is it still useful to report a partially-read combination?

Absolutely! This is especially true at sites away from the banding areas, where it can be important to know birds visited, even if we cannot figure out who it was.

How do we report sightings?

The best way (if you have a computer) is to fill in the band reporting Excel spreadsheet (below) and email it to us. Otherwise snail-mail will work. The spreadsheet may look like a lot of work, but some of it needs to be done only once. See below for an example of a filled-in sheet. The information we would like is:

• Species – Use the drop-down menu, and fill in one form per species.
• Your name – Enter this each time you fill in a sheet.
• Your address / email / phone – Fill these in the first time you submit a record; you will not need to thereafter.
• Site name – e.g. Tapora, Kaipara Harbour.
• Habitat – A general description, e.g. shellbank roost, tidal mudflat, Sarcocornia saltmarsh.
• NZ grid reference / lat-long – If you have one of these to hand, enter it (again, once only).
• Date of observation
• Weather/light – e.g. Windy, poor light; Calm, sunny, bright.
• Time – Start and end of observation period.
• High tide time – If you know it.
• Stage of tide – Use drop-down menu: low / incoming / high / outgoing.
• Activity of birds – Use drop-down menu: feed / preroost / roost.
• Number of birds present – Total count, and use the pull-down menu to say if this is a count or estimate.
• Number of birds checked – How many did you get to check the legs of? Also use the pull-down menu to say if this is a count or estimate.
• Number of banded birds seen – Include all banded birds, even if you got only part of the combination.

To enter the combinations:

Put the bands in the left column (e.g. YRYY). If you are not certain of a band colour, put it in brackets with a question mark, e.g. Y(R?)YY. If you could not see a band at all, put a question mark in the combination, e.g. Y?YY, ??RB.

The eight possible flag positions are given in the next columns. Put a ‘1’ in the correct column. You can then enter the sex and breeding plumage score if you have them, and make a comment about the bird.

Any general comments can be typed in below the bands when you are done.

There is a blank worksheet where you can enter and pre-sort records to figure out how many birds there were.

Saving the file – A file name that is self-explanatory is best, e.g. “knot Phil Battley June 21 2004.xls”.

Sending the records in:

North Island
Phil Battley
Ecology Group, Massey University
Private Bag 11-222
Palmerston North 4442
p [dot] battley [at] massey [dot] ac [dot] nz
06 356 9099 ext. 2605

South Island
Rob Schuckard
Taipari Bay
RD3 Rai Valley
Marlborough Sounds
rschckrd [at] xtra [dot] co [dot] nz
03 576 5371

For more information about the project, or if you wish to become more fully involved, please contact either:

• Phil or Rob at the addresses above, or
• David Melville (Dovedale, RD 2 Wakefield, Nelson, david [dot] melville [at] xtra [dot] co [dot] nz, Phone 03 543 3628).

Age-ratio scans on Bar-tailed godwits

If you are out looking at godwits in October-November, can you help us and measure the proportion of juveniles in flocks along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway? Distinguishing juveniles from adults is generally easy (see below), and will help piece together answers to two questions: how many young godwits are there, and where are they? In recent years there has been concern about apparent low productivity of Bar-tailed Godwits, based on the low numbers of juveniles seen on the staging grounds in Alaska. In September 2004 in Alaska, while some sites had the ‘typical’ low numbers of juveniles, another site had about six times as many juveniles as adults! But what is not clear is whether this means that many juveniles routinely choose different locations to adults, or early departures of adults from a much bigger flock at that site left only juveniles remaining.

In order to understand better the demographics and migrations of godwits, we need to enlarge the area over which we estimate godwit productivity. The most practical way to estimate how productive godwits have been is to count the numbers of juveniles and the numbers of adults in flocks on the non-breeding grounds. This is best done by visually scanning large numbers of birds.

We are interested in age-ratio data on godwits anywhere along the Pacific Rim between Alaska and New Zealand (our interest is really in the subspecies baueri). While we believe adult godwits may migrate direct from Alaska to their non-breeding grounds in New Zealand and Australia, there is nothing to say that all juveniles do the same thing. By making scans through Australasia and Asia, we will learn a lot about how godwits migrate along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.

Identification of adults and juveniles

Ageing of post-breeding godwits is done largely on the patterns and condition of the contour feathers on the wings, shoulders and back. Juveniles have strongly patterned mantle (‘back’), scapular (‘shoulder’), tertial and wing covert feathers, which are dark with extensive pale ‘notches’ coming in from the edges (Figure 1). This results in a spangled look. All the body and wing feathers are the same age, and the scapulars are slightly smaller than on adults, so juveniles look ‘neater’ than adults. Juveniles are also quite buffy in their overall colour, including on the breast, though this fades with time.

FIGURE 1: Juvenile godwits, showing contrasting upperparts. The distinctive tertials are circled in the bird on the left. Note that some adults may still retain notched tertials after breeding.

Adults can be told by the wear on their feathers, their colouration, and their stage of moult. Postbreeding adults typically undergo some body moult on the staging grounds (sometimes a lot). Adults newly arrived on the non-breeding grounds can have a mixture of very worn, old breeding plumage feathers (often just the dark central part may remain on the upperparts) and new, grey-brown feathers with crisp edges (Figure 2). Some reddish plumage may be present on the underparts. The wing coverts of some adults can look at first like those of a juvenile, but closer inspection will show them to be frayed and worn. Juveniles have much fresher feathers in good condition.

FIGURE 2: Post-breeding adult godwit, showing a mix of worn breeding (alternate) plumage and non-breeding (basic) plumage. Note the ‘toothed’ appearance of the worn wing feathers.

How long can the ages be distinguished?

Juveniles moult into their first non-breeding (basic) plumage some time after arriving on the non-breeding grounds. Experience in New Zealand indicates that juveniles can be easily distinguished throughout October and into November. Beyond mid-November ageing becomes more difficult, and while some birds can be told by retained juvenile tertials, age ratios can be unreliable if some first-year birds get overlooked. The best age ratios are when all juveniles have arrived but before the early-moulting juveniles start to look like adults. Total counts of juveniles, even without accurate age ratio data, can help determine when numbers have levelled off.

What data should be collected?

The basic data are counts of ‘adults’ (including previous years’ subadults if present) and counts of juveniles. Counts can take two forms:

1. Complete count
   If the flock is small enough, or laid out in such a way that all birds can be accurately counted and aged, count all adults and all juveniles.
2. Samples of a larger flock
   If the flock is too large to age all birds in it, repeatedly subsample different parts of the flock. Sample 50 birds from one part of the flock, then shift to another part and sample another 50 and so on. Aim for 10 non-overlapping samples of 50 birds. This becomes one scan. If time and birds permit, repeat the scans on the same flock (particularly if birds have flown and resettled) as many times as you are able/willing to do. Scans can be numbered by flock then scan (e.g. 1.2 equals flock 1, scan 2).

NOTE Juveniles often end up together at one end of a flock. This is a problem for scanning when the whole flock does not get covered (e.g. if birds fly up part-way through a scan). If the ‘juvenile end’ has been scanned, the juvenile ratio is inflated; if the other end was scanned, the reverse will occur. It is crucial to spread subsamples throughout the flock, ensuring that the ends, edges and inner parts are all sampled appropriately. A field-sketch in your notebook may be useful for showing whether the flock has been sampled well enough, and whether juveniles are bunched (e.g. Figure 3).

FIGURE 3: Example of a field sketch showing age ratio samples across a flock of godwits. Numbers are the count of juveniles and count of adults per subsample. In this flock, 900 birds were scanned. Note that most juveniles were found towards one end of the flock. Data from Bob Gill.

What other infomation is required?

Observer details, site, date, how many birds were present in total (even roughly), and any general comments. If scanning a flock somewhere we are unlikely to know the location of, please give latitude and longitude.

For example:

Big Sand Island, Tapora, Kaipara Harbour, New Zealand (36deg 22’53.9”S, 174deg 14’578.8”E). 25 October 2004. Observer: Feel Badly. Total number c. 1600, in two flocks. Flocks worked for 55 mins at high tide (1330-1425) in good light.

Flock 1 (c. 900 birds)
Scan 1.1: 12 juv; 488 ad.
Scan 1.2: 5 juv; 495 ad.

Flock 2 (c. 700 birds)
Scan 2.1: 7 juv; 375 ad (flock flew when harrier passed by).

We would also welcome any information about godwit numbers anywhere along the Flyway on southward migration. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions, comments, or information.
Many thanks for your assistance!

Sending the records in:

Phil Battley
Ecology Group, Massey University
Private Bag 11-222
Palmerston North 4442
p [dot] battley [at] massey [dot] ac [dot] nz
06 356 9099 ext. 2605

Beach Patrol Scheme

New Zealand is an insular country with a long coastline at right angles to the prevailing winds. Surrounded by both sub-tropical and sub-antarctic water zones, it is the breeding centre for 78 species of seabird and lies in the path of seabirds moving eastward in the non-breeding season (winter) from the southern Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Seabirds can be studied from ships but are often impossible to accurately identify at sea, so analysis of dead birds washed up on the world's coasts remains one of the main ways of studying seabird movements throughout the year. New Zealand is geographically well placed for this work.

Why is beach patrolling so important - and what are 'wrecks'?

The OSNZ Beach Patrol Scheme started in 1951 and since 1961 a summary of each year's results has appeared in Notornis. The aim is to record systematically the seabirds found dead on New Zealand beaches. Infrequent or opportunistic patrols may result in a few specimens of rare birds being sent to museums and the occasional recovery of a banded bird, but regular patrols provide these benefits in greater degree and also gather information of great scientific value. Their results establish and confirm what species of seabirds occur in New Zealand waters, and accumulate information leading to an understanding of their distribution, abundance, seasonal or annual movements and migrations. Data can be accumulated towards investigation of the causes of seabird deaths on New Zealand coasts, particularly in the case of ‘wrecks’.

A ‘wreck’ is a period of exceptionally severe mortality, sometimes involving mainly one species, or at other times several species. Some ‘wrecks’ seem to be caused by storms catching young birds a few days after leaving their nests, others by storms combined with food shortage. In some overseas seabird ‘wrecks’, the cause of death has been attributed to avian disease, biotoxins or pollutants. Accurate records of the extent and frequency of ‘wrecks’, the condition (and weight) of birds and the weather which accompanies them can provide a better understanding of their causes.

How is beach patrolling done?

A beach patrol is a walk along the high tide line of a beach to find, identify and record what birds have been washed ashore. Patrols may occur at any time of the year and after any weather, though highest mortalities often occur after storms with onshore winds, especially in winter. Exposed beaches yield more results than land-locked harbour beaches. All birds should be removed from the beach during each patrol to prevent the same birds being reported by another patroller.

Opportunistic patrols are valuable and should be recorded, but regular patrols yield a greater volume of information, and in some districts are organised by groups of members taking turns to do a monthly or fortnightly patrol of suitable beaches. In 1996, regular monthly beach patrols were carried out in Northland, Auckland, South Auckland, Waikato, Hawkes Bay, Wellington and Southland.

How are dead birds recorded?

The beach patrol data sheet (record form) can be downloaded as a Word file (return by email) or as a PDF file (print and return by fax or post). Full instructions are printed at the bottom of the form. Alternatively, printed cards can be obtained from the Beach Patrol Organiser or through Regional Representatives. The data sheets/cards provide space for recording all species obtained and the number of each species found, so that an assessment of relative abundance of species can be built up over the years; the length of beach covered by the patrol, so that it is clear whether there has been significant or average mortality, and so that the abundance of species per kilometre can be compared with that for other regions and other years; the freshness of specimens, age group of specimens (if known) and weather conditions prior to the patrol, so that the effect of weather on mortality patterns can be studied.

If no birds are found, a beach patrol card should still be filled in, with a NIL return. It is just as important to know when and why birds are not washing up on beaches, as it is to know when and why they are being found ashore.

When filling in cards, use either the full generic and specific name of the bird as per the latest Checklist of the Birds of New Zealand or use the appropriate common name as per the Field Guide to the Birds of New Zealand. Don't use vague or ambiguous names, e.g. BBG, muttonbird, little penguin. Cards should be filled in as soon as identifications have been checked, and sent to the scheme organiser before 1 March each year.

Accurate identification of birds found is absolutely essential, and not always easy. Beginners should find out who else does beach patrols in the area and who is the nearest authority to confirm their identification. In districts where regular patrols are done, a beginner can learn much by joining them and getting instruction in diagnostic characters from an experienced patroller. Beginners should also learn and practise the standard method of measuring and weighing birds.

If no-one locally patrols beaches, then contact the Beach Patrol Organiser for advice on what to do with birds that can not be identified. In the meantime, place all retained corpses in a deep freezer until they are identified by an expert. Wrap the corpse thoroughly in sealed plastic bags and attach a note or label to each corpse stating the name and address of the collector, date collected, name of the beach and any other relevant details.

When patrolling, do not rely on memory. Carry a sack or plastic bags to collect specimens you cannot identify; collect at least the head of unknown specimens - in most cases this is sufficient for identification - and bear in mind that museums are always keen to obtain fresh specimens or dried corpses of unusual species. Once you can identify with certainty the commoner species, few birds will need to be collected. However, all birds should be removed from the beach; place easily identified birds up in the dunes.

Please note that you do not require a permit if you collect corpses for identification purpose, provided you do not keep them long term. Retaining corpses for private collections, however, requires a special permit which you would need to obtain from your local museum.

How to get involved?

If you are interested in beach patrol work, do not be discouraged if no regular patrolling is done in your area. Work on your own if you have to, but make arrangements to have your identifications checked. Many parts of New Zealand's long coastline are not patrolled adequately, or at all. This aspect of bird study can be rewarding and exciting, and every beach patrol carried out adds to the value of the scheme.

Download the Beach Patrol data in either Word, RTF or PDF format.
For more details and instructions (Powlesland & Imber, 1988) – click here
For Beach Patrol District Codes – click here
Any queries - contact the Beach Patrol Organiser
Click below to download annual reports.

eBird

A real-time, online checklist program, eBird has revolutionized the way that the birding community reports and accesses information about birds. Launched in 2002 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, eBird provides rich data sources for basic information on bird abundance and distribution at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. The Ornithological Society of New Zealand launched eBird New Zealand in May 2008 and already it has become a huge hit.

eBird's goal is to maximize the utility and accessibility of the vast numbers of bird observations made each year by recreational and professional bird watchers. It is amassing one of the largest and fastest growing biodiversity data resources in existence. For example, in 2006, participants reported more than 4.3 million bird observations across North America.

The observations of each participant join those of others in an international network of eBird users. eBird then shares these observations with a global community of educators, land managers, ornithologists, and conservation biologists. In time these data will become the foundation for a better understanding of bird distribution across the western hemisphere and beyond.

http://ebird.org/content/newzealand

Moult Recording Scheme

The moult recording scheme was launched in 1981. The aim of the scheme is to collect information on the moult patterns of all New Zealand bird species. Moult of body and flight feathers is generally undertaken every year by birds, although some seabirds, for instance, spread their moult over several years.

The main information sought is the pattern and timing of wing and tail moult in New Zealand species, although moult of other body feathers can also be recorded on the Moult Cards. Moult recording may initially appear quite complicated and it does help to have somebody demonstrate how the wing and tail feathers are counted and how to score moult. Also knowing how may feathers there should be on the wing and tail of a particular species is a great help - you know what to expect. With practice and assistance from experienced ornithologists, moult recording becomes relatively easy. Opportunities to collect moult information include finding dead birds on beaches or road–sides, or when birds are caught for banding. A lot of species moult in the late summer/autumn after the breeding season, though others moult at other times of the year – so expect it at any time, although especially over January-April in New Zealand. To record when birds are not in moult, we also distribute a 'Non-Moult Record Form' allowing multiple entries for a range of species not in moult.

Moult is a critical time in the life of birds and determining when it occurs, how long it takes to complete and how many wing or tail feathers are lost at one time are essential in understanding the vulnerability of a species during moult. For many New Zealand birds, we have very little information on their moulting cycle and moult cards are needed for all species.

For more information contact the Moult Records Organiser.

You can download PDF files of the moult card, non-moult form and reports below.

NZ National Banding Scheme

In many countries around the world bird banding (ringing), and marking of animals in general, is regarded as one of the most essential research tools for biologists. Although historically the marking of animals goes back to the Greeks and Romans, the systematic use of marking methods for birds was not initiated until about 1899, when the Danish ornithologist H C Mortensen used individually numbered leg bands in his studies. This was soon taken up by others, and led to the development of national banding schemes in many countries.

In the first few decades of this century some New Zealand researchers, realising the potential of banding and marking techniques, started to make up their own bands, from cigarette tins, aluminium pots or other materials, cut up and engraved with numbers. These methods, however, were soon regarded as unsatisfactory and by the late 1940’s, when the scale of banding increased, a national scheme was proposed. In 1950 the OSNZ organised a scheme, using the then Dominion Museum for its return address. Meanwhile, the Wildlife Branch of the Department of Internal Affairs had been banding game birds since 1947, using the Department’s address on their bands.

Initially both schemes operated beside each other, with the Wildlife Branch banding game birds, the OSNZ all other native and introduced species. The OSNZ scheme was run initially on an honorary basis, but the growth in the number of birds banded each year, as well as the increasing cost of running the scheme, proved too much for the Society. In 1962 an offer from the Dominion Museum to take over the running of the scheme was gladly accepted.

In 1967 both schemes were merged to become the New Zealand National Banding Scheme. The administration was undertaken by the Wildlife Branch (later to become the Wildlife Service) of the Internal Affairs Department until, in 1987, the responsibilities of the Wildlife Service were incorporated in the newly created Department of Conservation.

The merger of the two schemes facilitated a professional administrative approach to all banding, and methods for more sophisticated data handling and analysis. The New Zealand scheme became one of the first in the world to take advantage of computer technology.

Over the years the banding scheme has flourished. The moderate numbers of birds banded annually in the early days have increased steadily to an average of 20,000 - 25,000 birds a year, with a present total of over 1.2 million birds banded. The computer system presently holds recovery records for some 170,000 individuals and more than 270,000 records when live repeat recoveries are included.

To band or mark animals they must first be caught. Where this applies to birds, there are many capture techniques available. The more commonly used methods are traps (either self operated, like drop traps, or those triggered mechanically, or by hand), mist nets and hand capture. Methods like cannon nets, where a net is propelled by projectiles to land over a flock of roosting birds such as waders, require special skills and are not widely used.

Some 23 different band sizes are available, with internal diameters ranging from 2 to 22 mm. Most bands are designed to be round when closed round the leg, but there are several specially designed bands. Some are oval and used on birds with ‘flat’ legs, like shearwaters. Penguins cannot be banded on the legs as these are feathered and stubby, so bands are designed to fit around the base of the flipper.

Each band has its own prefix (which also denotes the size), an individual serial number and a return address. This facilitates the unique identification of each banded bird.

Early on, most bands were made of aluminium, aluminium alloys or monel, but now most are made from stainless steel except for the smallest sizes. Stainless steel (New Zealand pioneered the use of it!) has the advantage of being very hard, thus alleviating most problems with wear or corrosion experienced with other metals.

The use of colour bands is widespread in many modern bird studies. These allow for remote observations of individuals in a study population without the necessity for frequent recapture, thus minimising disturbance. Sometimes the same single colour or combination is used on a number of individuals within a population. In this case the colours indicate a year class or locality group.

Internationally, the controlled use of coloured leg flags (basically colour bands with a piece sticking out like a miniature flag) has been developed. Each participating country has its own regional colour (white for New Zealand). This technique helps to establish the flyways for migrating waders.

An increasingly popular tool, used in conjunction with leg bands, is a radio transmitter (sometimes combined with data logging sensors) which enables the marked bird to be tracked from the ground for short distances or internationally by satellite. Though expensive, the results obtained allow detailed tracking of an individual throughout the life of the battery, often in areas where banding recoveries would be impossible.

Bird banding and marking techniques in New Zealand have supported the study of over 200 different species. For most of these species, data on seasonal movements, ecology and behaviour, dispersal, survival and mortality, longevity etc. are still accumulating.

The New Zealand National Banding Scheme and any study it facilitates, to be successful, depends on recoveries. These come from three main sources: birds found dead, birds recaptured, and birds identified from their colour combination or by reading the metal band number with the help of binoculars or a telescope.

Members of OSNZ should be aware of the importance of recoveries and sightings, as well as the procedure to report them.

1. If the banded bird is dead, remove the band, flatten it and return with details of the finder to the Banding Office; state when and where found and any other details, including the cause of death if known.
2. If the banded bird is recovered alive, carefully record the band number, release the bird still wearing its band, and report to the Banding Office with all available details.
3. If you see a banded bird and can read the band number or colour combination with binoculars or a telescope, read the complete number (or combination) twice, write it down immediately and report it. If there is any doubt about the accuracy of the record, disregard it. Do not guess what you cannot clearly see.

You can download the Band reporting forms at the bottom of this page either in Word (rtf) or PDF format.

Instructions

• Date, exact locality and finding circumstances are essential. The more detailed the information the better.
• Never remove a band from a living bird. It may be recaptured again in the future and add further data to the scheme.
• Colour combinations. These should be reported in order of left leg - top to bottom, right leg - top to bottom. Be aware that in some species bands may be on either (or both) tibia and tarsus. Please include this information where applicable.

Where band numbers are read with the help of binoculars or a telescope, read the number twice and record it immediately. Note that whenever there is doubt about the accuracy of an observation, do not guess, but disregard it. Forward any information and bands to:

National Banding Office
Phone:  +64 4 4713294
Email: bandingoffice [at] doc [dot] govt [dot] nz
Address: PO Box 108
Wellington 6140
New Zealand

Bird banding in New Zealand is restricted to those persons holding a valid permit to trap, band and handle birds, issued through the Banding Office by the Department of Conservation. Two types of permit exist:

• Personal, which allow an individual to band
• Institutional/group permits. These are vested in the name of one person, who in turn has the authority to authorise others to work under the permit provided these people are suitably trained to carry out the work. All permits are valid for a limited duration and restricted to specified species, trapping methods and localities.

To become a banding operator (bander) an application must be lodged with the Banding Scheme. Applicants must be members of OSNZ or a recognised scientific institution, and over 16 years of age. Application forms are available from the Banding Office and must state previous experience, details of the project, methods of catching/trapping and details of the need for any special markers. A committee, including the OSNZ Banding Liaison Officer, evaluates each application for merit.

Conditions of a permit include strict adherence to any rules of conduct and methods set down, as well as a regular return of records to the Banding Office. Further information on the scheme can be obtained from the Banding Office, at the above address.

National Wader Count

The distribution and abundance of wading birds has been studied in New Zealand since the formation of OSNZ. At selected sites such as Firth of Thames and Manukau Harbour, annual locality counts provided a census of wader flocks both in summer and winter.

In 1983, it was decided to extend these counts to all the major estuaries and harbours in New Zealand. Flocks of waders were counted annually in November and June. This provided information on the numbers of Arctic migrants that summered in New Zealand and how many remained over the winter. It also enabled counts of New Zealand waders that formed flocks in the winter, e.g. South Island Pied Oystercatcher, Wrybill and Pied Stilts. The national wader counts were conducted at all sites until 1996.

Today, the counts are continuing at a selection of key sites to monitor long-term trends in the wader populations.

Results of wader surveys have been published in Southern Bird and full reviews will be published in Notornis.

OSNZ Arctic wader colour-banding project - click here for more information

Age-ratio scans on Bar-tailed godwit - click here for more information

Click below to download reports.

Nest Record Scheme

The object of the scheme is to provide abundant and comprehensive data on length, time and peak of breeding seasons, clutch size, number of clutches, incubation and fledgling periods, nest sites and materials used in nest building. Hundreds of cards are needed before a valid analysis can be attempted for any one species and hundreds more to confirm results of the first analysis and show what variations occur between seasons or between districts.

Nest observations have been used in many books and papers, including a study comparing introduced species between New Zealand and Great Britain (Evans et al., 2005 Functional Ecology 19: 616-624). A study of Welcome Swallows found that birds were now breeding earlier than formerly – this being compatible with a response to global climate change (Evans et al., 2003 Emu 103: 215-220). Information from nest record cards was also used in compiling the breeding sections in the Field Guide (Heather & Robertson, 1996).

Over 26,000 cards for 144 species have been submitted since the start of the scheme. More cards are needed, however, to fill in gaps in our knowledge.

How to get involved

All members of OSNZ can take part in the Nest Record Scheme, and non-members may complete cards provided their accuracy is guaranteed by signature of a member. Especially for young enthusiasts, nest recording is a most rewarding activity. Those who find only a few nests can be assured that their contribution, though limited, is welcome and valuable.

How to fill in and submit nest records

• There are only two types of cards - individual nest cards and colonial nest cards (for use at colonies of gulls, terns etc). Individual nest cards are easy to fill in, but directions printed on the card should be carefully read and followed. The cards can be downloaded as PDF file, or obtained from the Nest Records Organiser and Regional Representatives. 
• Remember that cards are wanted for all species, native or introduced, rare or common. Do not confine your recording to nests which appear unusual or specially interesting. Record all nests in which it has been possible to count the contents accurately at least once. With hole-nesting birds accurate counts may be impossible, but record (if known) the date of laying, hatching or young leaving the nest. Cards are not required if a nest seen only once has not been laid in, or is apparently deserted. Begin your search for nests in early spring and continue through the whole nesting season. Too many records from the early, easy part of the season and too few from the later, more difficult period could falsify the final analysis. Remember that some species of seabirds nest in autumn or winter.
• If nest records are written up for publication, cards should still be sent in to the organiser. The value of a record is, of course, increased if a series of visits can be made to the nest, covering the whole breeding cycle. Much information can be gained from a limited number of planned visits, e.g. (for passerine species) two afternoon visits in the egg-laying period, to get date of first egg and egg laying sequence; two during incubation, to determine clutch size; two at hatching time, one when the young are 7-8 days old; one just before fledging and occasional visits thereafter to see if the young are still in the nest.
• If so many visits are not possible, try to visit at least once before the clutch is complete, once after completion of the clutch and once when the young have hatched. If eggs and young are together in the nest, state whether young are hatching or eggs obviously addled. An estimate of age of nestlings or state of plumage development is worth recording. If you have accurate scales and callipers, weigh the chicks and measure the wing length.
• If you find a nest containing a cuckoo egg or nestling, fill in the "species" space on the card thus - Cuckoo (Grey Warbler); do not complete a separate card for the host. Enter the number of eggs or young of the host plus the cuckoo egg or nestlings thus - 4 plus 1 equals four eggs of the host and one of the cuckoo.
• Do not disturb nesting birds unnecessarily. Make your visits as brief as possible, so that eggs or chicks are not left untended or exposed to hot sunlight for long periods. Avoid breaking or damaging vegetation close to the nest; try to conceal your tracks through long grass, etc. Use a mirror fixed to a stick to inspect high nests.
• Make absolutely sure that your identification is correct. Be careful not to record guesses or opinions as fact. Do not write "deserted", "robbed", "chicks flown" etc., without briefly stating the evidence for your opinion. Check your cards and send in before 1 March each year.

References

• Evans et al. 2003. Changes in the breeding biology of the Welcome Swallow in New Zealand since colonisation. Emu 103: 215-220.
• Evans et al. 2005. Investigating geographic variation in clutch size using a natural experiment. Functional Ecology 19: 616-624.
• Heather B. D. & Roberston, H. A. 1996. The Field Guide to the Birds of New Zealand. Auckland: Viking.

Download a printable version of the individual nest record card here: PDF file

For detailed instructions on how to fill in nest record cards - click here

For more information please contact the Nest Records Organiser

Nestwatch 2010

Nest Watch 2010 aims to collect 2010 Nest Record Cards for Blackbirds and Song Thrushes during the 2009/1010 breeding season. Both species occur throughout the country (see Atlas maps on pages 254-257) so every member should be able to contribute - you shouldn’t need to go further than your garden or local park. If every member contributes just 2 cards we can reach our target!!

Why study Blackbirds and Song Thrushes?

We want to collect sufficient records to allow us to compare aspects of breeding biology throughout the country. Earlier studies (in the 1940s and 1960s) indicated that Blackbirds started breeding later at St Arnaud, Nelson than those in Auckland, but that there was very little difference in Song Thrushes. Does the same hold true today?

Global climate change is already impacting the timing of breeding of some species in the northern hemisphere, but at present there is little information available for New Zealand, apart from a long-term study of Starlings at Lower Hutt which suggested that ‘laying dates varied with food availability which fluctuated according to climatic events’.

Separating the nests

Both Blackbirds and Song Thrushes build relatively large, bulky nests, that of the Blackbird being the larger. Nests usually are made of grass, plant stems, dead leaves, thin twigs and roots. Song Thrush nests may also contain moss and lichen. The Song Thrush nest is lined with a smooth layer of mud or rotten wood pulp, whereas the Blackbird usually incorporates some mud in the nest cup, but lines the nest with fine grass, pine needles and dead leaves.

Separating the eggs

• Blackbird:
  light blue covered with fine reddish-brown speckling and mottling.
  

• Song Thrush:
  bright, light blue with a small number of black or purple-brown spots, speckles or small blotches.
  

Nest Record Cards are available from your RR or can be downloaded here.

Further reading

• Bull, P.C. 1946. Notes on the breeding cycle of the Thrush and Blackbird in New Zealand. Emu 46: 198-208.
• *Flux 1966. Breeding of Song Thrushes and Blackbirds at St. Arnaud, Nelson. Notornis 13: 142-149
• Gurr, L. 1954. A study of the blackbird Turdus merula in New Zealand. Ibis 96: 225–261
• Kikkawa, J. 1966. Population distribution of land birds in temperate rainforest of Southern New Zealand. Trans. R. Soc. N.Z. (Zool.) 7: 215-277.
• Marples, B.J. & Gurr, L. 1943. Emu 43: 67-71.
• *McKenzie, H.R. 1945. A Blackbird nesting story.NZ Bird Notes 1: 110-112.
• *Tily, I. 1946. The nesting activities of a pair of Blackbirds. NZ Bird Notes 1: 117-120.
• Tryjanowski et al. 2006. Date of breeding of the starling Sturnus vulgaris in New Zealand is related to El Niño Southern Oscillation. Austral Ecology 31: 634-637.

* Papers can be downloaded from our Notornis site: http://www.notornis.org.nz/ FREE of charge!

Projects & Activities Committee

After a couple of years’ incubation, the OSNZ’s Project and Activities Committee has eventually hatched. The members of the new committee are Carol Davies, Eila Lawton, Mike Bell, Peter Gaze, David Lawrie (ex-officio), and Peter Frost (convenor).

From the outset, the Committee intends to work closely with Regional Representatives to foster and support the wider knowledge and enjoyment of birds among OSNZ members and beyond. Our ultimate goal is to increase both research output and quality. We would like to help members develop and carry out their own studies, or contribute to those of others, and to publish the results. Of course, in some cases, this initially means helping people to develop basic skills in identifying, surveying, catching, handling, and banding birds, among other things. Some people may well choose to stop at that level, content simply to enjoy finding and watching birds; others may want to go further. We hope that we can serve the interests of both groups, and others besides.

The OSNZ is currently compiling a list of projects being undertaken by members of the Society. We plan to work with the project leaders to identify potential openings for others to become involved in an organised way. In some cases, there may be opportunities for training,and we will attempt to develop these. Field courses will be mounted where there is sufficient demand, and where they can be run cost-effectively. Organisations such as the Miranda Shorebird Trust already offer a number of such courses, many with inputs from OSNZ members. We encourage members to use these opportunities in the first instance. For example, the Shorebird Centre will be hosting a wader identification course over the weekend 24-25th October 2009, and a more general field course during the week 13-19th January 2010, one that includes an introduction to bird banding. Details are available at www.miranda-shorebird.org.nz/events.html.

Of course, there are subjects in which the OSNZ is best placed to develop courses, including bird catching, banding and doing moult studies, and we will do so where possible. For example, Mike Bell is planning a short field course in Marlborough in January 2010, focusing on bird banding and moult. The details are currently being worked out, but if you are interested in attending, contact Mike (skua44 [at] yahoo [dot] co [dot] nz) for further information. Based on what we learn from that exercise, similar short courses could be organised elsewhere if there are local experts willing to take the lead with our help. A more comprehensive field course in Marlborough in early 2011 is being considered.

There are clearly many things to be done, and much expectation by members to see progress on these. Rather than try to do everything at once, we want to take a more measured approach, identifying priorities – areas of most immediate need and opportunity – and endeavouring to build momentum by implementing these successfully. We cannot do this alone, and so will be working closely with Regional Representatives and Recorders, leaders and participants of ongoing projects, and those with particular expertise, to put together compelling and productive initiatives that will promote everyone’s enjoyment and knowledge of birds. We look forward to working with you on that.

PETER FROST

Recording Scheme

The Recording Scheme started in 1940. Miscellaneous field records sent in by members, but not suitable for publication as Short Notes in Notornis were summarised and published once a year as Classified Summarised Notes (CSN). This scheme was stopped in the 1960s, but was reactivated in the 1970s.

Today, Regional Recorders prepare a summary of observations from each region, and these are sent to the New Zealand Bird Report Editor for publication in the yearly "New Zealand Bird Report". We also recommend that all significant sightings and checklists from any birding trip be entered into eBird. From these Regional Recorders can choose those to be entered into the New Zealand Bird Report.

Regional Recorders use a set of guidelines to select observations that are suitable for national publication. There is however a wealth of local information that is worth extracting from notebooks and storing in regional archives. Information to be sent to regional recorders includes unpublished locality lists, unusual distribution records, bird counts especially of waders and nesting seabirds, observations on foods eaten by birds, dates when first and last songs of passerines are heard each year, movements and migrations of seabirds, waders and cuckoos, behaviour of birds including flocking and roosting patterns, causes of mortality and locations of any seabird colonies. However, all information on nests, moult and beached birds should be placed on the appropriate cards and sent to Scheme Organisers or RR's.

Some regions provide recording books at monthly meetings where members can record their observations. Otherwise members should extract information from notebooks and send it directly to their regional recorders. The reporting year runs from 1 January to 31 December. Before or soon after 31 December members should make sure that all observations that they wish to submit have been sent to regional recorders, no later than 31 March each year.

It is important to extract as much useful information as possible from field notebooks, diaries and files. These may be lost, mislaid or destroyed. The Recording Scheme also provides a repository for notebooks if members leave the Society or become inactive at some stage of their life. If members so choose, they should inform family members or place instructions in their will that they wish their notebooks to be made available to the Society after they pass away.

To find out more information contact your Regional Recorder or Regional Representative.

Rare Birds

Reporting Rare Bird Sightings to the Records Appraisal Committee

What does the Records Appraisal Committee do?

The Records Appraisal Committee (RAC) was established by the Ornithological Society of New Zealand (OSNZ) to provide a means of independently verifying unusual bird sightings reported from New Zealand. They are also there to help anyone who simply can't identify a bird they have seen. The definition of New Zealand that the RAC follows is “political insular New Zealand out to the edge of the 200 mile Economic Zone”. The RAC is the sole arbiter of what species will or will not appear on the New Zealand List and advises the OSNZ Checklist Committee, whose role it is to produce a list of birds of New Zealand that incorporates current taxonomic consensus.

Reporting forms can be downloaded at the bottom of the page and submitted in due course to the Records Appraisal Committee Secretary.

Seen a Rare Bird outside its usual range and want to report it fast? Email the Regional Representative within the region the bird was seen and post it on BirdingNZ (if you are not a member of BirdingNZ or are having trouble joining please contact brent [at] eco-vista [dot] com (subject: Rare Bird Sighting) (Brent Stephenson) or neil [at] birdingnz [dot] net (subject: NZ Rare Bird Sighting) (Neil Fitzgerald) respectively). If you are not sure if it is rare or unusual for the Region/Country - please notify your Regional Representative anyway. 

Click here to go straight to the “List of reportable Species”

So, you’ve seen a rare or unusual bird, or one you can’t identify? What do you do next?

Document it!

It doesn't matter if you have the world's best digital camera and a lens which takes photos of a bird's iris from 200 metres, you have to take some notes. A number of perfectly good records have been rejected by the RAC because the submitter either did not take any notes or didn't submit any with the photo they supplied. A photo does not show every single plumage tract on a bird and some features that may not have been photographed (e.g. the underwing) may be crucial in the identification. Believe it or not, overseas a number of records have been submitted of birds that have actually been photographed in other countries!

What notes should you take?

Look at the bird closely, not taking your eyes off it until you have identified every feature that you can see (and hear if you are lucky). This includes not only the diagnostic field marks, but the details that would enable you to describe that bird (say on the phone) to someone else. Only once you have done this then you should you take pictures, if you have a camera, or write down your description, or both (taking pictures first). If you can sketch the bird, do so. Even if you are hopeless as an artist (and most of us are), you may be able to draw a wing or tail pattern, or a bill shape or pattern. If similar or other birds are in the vicinity, write down its differences from them. Record its appearance, behaviour, posture, and try to transcribe or describe its vocalisations.

If you are with other birdwatchers, do not assume that they will write notes. If several of you are taking notes, the ideal procedure is for each person to write details without influencing the others. It helps no one if someone dictates to everyone what they are seeing. A suggestion to look at a particular feature whilst a number of people are observing, helps focus your attention on a potential key identification mark, whereas a statement that the "”such and such” is quite striking" may influence the content of everyone's notes. Similarly, consulting references during the note-writing process can suggest the presence of features that are not actually present. Resist the temptation to record what you know is there. In a group situation, different observer's notes will be different. Do not worry about missing a detail that someone else has recorded - your notes will have value as an independent document.

Many birdwatchers concentrate on observing and studying the rarity as long as possible, and then write notes immediately after the observation. Although this approach has its advantages, especially if the bird is difficult to observe or does not linger, there is always the possibility that some identification characters may be overlooked. Unless the bird stays around for days, there is little possibility of retrieving overlooked information. The likelihood of overlooking features is lessened if you scribble down notes during the observation, thus forcing yourself to look at the bird in more detail, rather than just observing basic identification features. Most people don't have a photographic memory!

The hardest habit to break is looking at your field guide when you should be looking at the bird and writing down what it looks like. Force yourself to leave the books alone, at least until you have written the best description you can. If you add anything to your notes after consulting field guides, indicate which features were prompted by looking at the books (and specify which books).

The points that can wait until after the bird has gone are the notes on your distance from the bird, the relative position of the birds, the sun, and you, the habitat, exact location, time and date, the optics you used, the names of your fellow observers, and your previous experience with the species.

It is very important to mention features that were not observed, though, if you are aware of them. Some observers feel that mentioning things you missed is a sign of incompetence, but the RAC is more likely to look favourably on a record that has a lot of "I don't know”s rather than one that just seems a little too perfect. No matter how good your memory, the more time that elapses between the observation and recording the information, the more "fuzzy" or biased the details can become, if not forgotten altogether. Most birders would probably be amazed at their poor recall of plumage patterns and fine detail.

Field notes do not have to be neatly printed; information scribbled on a cigarette packet is preferable to nothing at all. These notes, no matter how messy or soiled with mud, sweat, or food, constitute your original data, and, therefore, should be saved whether or not the information is later transcribed to a separate notebook or directly to a more formalized report (e.g. for submission to the RAC). The RAC prefers observers to photocopy their original notes and add them as an appendix to any major rarity. Scribbled notes on small, easily misplaced scraps of paper should be transcribed as quickly as possible to prevent possible loss. Notes in whatever bizarre short-hand you choose to make should be rewritten while information not recorded on paper can still be retrieved from memory. Just don't leave out any detail. 

Note taking won't be too much effort if you do a little preparation. Firstly, memorize the terminology describing the parts of a bird in the front pages of your NZ field guide. Secondly, after learning the terminology, practice on the birds in your local patch, and force yourself to describe one bird every time you go out bird-watching (a juvenile goldfinch one day, a godwit or oystercatcher the next, and so on).

Fill in a form

You’ve gone to all that effort to document the rarity - the next logical step is to fill in a form and send it to the RAC. An “Unusual Bird Report” (UBR) form is to be used wherever possible in the interest of uniformity when reporting sightings to the Committee for its consideration. These forms can be obtained from your Regional Representative or Regional Recorder or downloaded as in pdf or word format at the bottom of this document.

What does the RAC do once it receives a UBR form?

Reports received by the Convenor fall into various categories. In all cases, a copy of the report and any accompanying documentation is circulated among members, and they are given a period of time within which to get their comments back to the Convenor. In the case of first New Zealand records, or species otherwise considered extinct, Committee members need to be unanimous before such records can be accepted. With other than first New Zealand records, generally the requirement is that a majority of members must agree on identity before acceptance. In cases of difficulty, expert opinions are sought from within or outside New Zealand.

A report will be published annually in Notornis summarising the records accepted by the Committee during the previous year. This will not, of course, prevent the observers of those birds from separately publishing their own accounts after their records have been accepted by the Committee.

Will the RAC accept a single observer record?

It is often repeated in bird watching circles that the only thing worse than not seeing rare birds is seeing one by yourself as the RAC won't accept it. Well in NZ that isn't true. In NZ if we followed that rule, half the records we get would be thrown out as there simply aren't enough observers!

If the species is a first for New Zealand, or a species otherwise considered extinct, it will be subject to an extra level of scrutiny, but there is no reason that a thorough record by a competent observer would not be accepted. Certainly a photograph (no matter how bad) significantly bolsters any single observer record.
 
The reportable species list includes only species currently on the New Zealand Checklist. Any species not on the reportable list, and which are not currently on the New Zealand Checklist should also be reported, as they could be potential 'first sightings' in this country. Please also check the New Zealand Recognised Bird Names (NZRBN) database held at http://bird.org.nz/nzrbn.htm
 
For a rare birds reporting form in either PDF (8K) or Word RTF (72K) format please click on the icons below.

Online Reporting Form

Rare bird Reporting form

Bird Identification

Please consult the list of rare birds to ensure that it is on the list of reportable species before filling out this form

Species: *

Species Name of the Bird

Sub-species/race:

(if evident)

Observer Details

Please fill in the details of the people who observed the bird

Observers Name: *

Contact details:

Please add your contact details here including phone number and e-mail address

Other Observers:

List the names anyone else who observed the bird

Observation Details

Date of observation: *

Day12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031

Year1970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012

MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Location: *

Where you spotted the bird

Habitat:

Viewing Distance:

Approximate distance from the bird in meters

Optical Aids used:

Did you use binoculars/telescope and if so what magnification

Duration of observation(s):

In hours and minutes

Books consulted:

List and books that you consulted to verify your identification

How well do you know the species?:

List previous experience with this bird

How confident are you about the identification?:

<25%

25-50%

50-75%

75-100%

100%

State any relevant weather or sea conditions that helped or hindered the observation::

State weather conditions in the days before first observation that may explain the bird’s presence::

Description of Bird(s)

In the following pages please give a full description of the bird from your field notes and impressions gained at the time of the sighting.

Please start with an account of how the bird was discovered and what other birds it was with. If you easily identified the bird to family level, e.g. Albatross, penguin, duck, tern, etc, you can start your description by saying so.

Then lead into a description and produce evidence for the elimination of similar species. Use sketches throughout, wherever possible (the notes at the sides of the following pages are prompts, if you need them). If the bird was caught, banded, photographed or tape recorded please provide measurements, photographs or tapes in support.

Whenever you make comments that have been prompted by books you consulted, state clearly that you have done so.

First Impressions/discovery:

Size:

Shape:

Plumage Colour:

Bare Parts:

Behaviour:

Elimination from other species:

Reaction to other birds:

Reaction to humans:

Photos:

Note that if you have more than one photo you need to put them into a zip file and upload it. Max filesize is 4Mb.
File extensions allowed are: bmp, gif, jpg, png, gz, tar, zip

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